Classic movies deserve birthday parties, too

Many folks forget their wedding anniversary date or spouse's birthday and end up in the doghouse. But it's easy to remember a major milestone date of one of your favorite films: just listen to Cineversary, a new podcast that celebrates an important birthday of a movie classic.

Every month, the show spotlights a different film currently observing a joyous jubilee--everything from a 20th to a 100th anniversary. Host Erik Martin (who serves as moderator of CineVerse, Oak Lawn's weekly film discussion group) interviews film scholars, critics, historians and fans to discuss why each spotlighted movie is worth celebrating all these years later, its cultural impact and legacy, what we can learn from the picture today, how it has stood the test of time, and more.

For its inaugural episode, Cineversary honors 2001: A Space Odyssey, marking its 50th anniversary in 2018. Martin interviewed Barry Vacker, professor of media studies at Temple University and author of the book Specter of the Monolith, which was inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey. In August, Martin will feature a different guest to talk about the 25th anniversary of Groundhog Day.

To hear the July episode in a browser, click here. Cineversary can also be streamed or downloaded using Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, PodBean, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

For more details on the Cineversary podcast, visit www.facebook.com/cineversarypodcast.

Living inside out

If you want to enjoy the great outdoors this summer, you don’t need to travel beyond your own backyard. Simply bring all the comforts of the indoors to your patio, deck or other outdoor area via furniture, appliances and other amenities designed for alfresco enjoyment. Then, kick back and enjoy the sunshine or moonlight in style.

Discover why having an outdoor living area can make your home feel bigger without having to do major construction and how it can significantly add to your home’s resale value if you’re looking to sell by reading my newest article published in The Daily Herald, available here.

Your fridge, stove, washer and other appliances are getting smarter. Here’s why

It wasn’t so long ago that Americans thought of their home appliances as basic, boxy, bone white workhorses that simply got the job done. But today’s homeowners want more than mere functionality in their cooking, cleaning and cooling machines. They want a wealth of Internet age bells and whistles built in. Thanks to rapid innovation and more affordable technology, their expectations are being exceeded, say the pros.

Learn about the latest technological advances and cutting-edge features built into today's home appliances by reading my newest piece for The Costco Connection, found here.